Noticias

KUWAIT CITY, April 20, (Agencies): Kuwait ranked first in the GCC and 103rd internationally in the 2016 World Press Freedom Index released Wednesday by Reporters Without Borders — an advocacy group based in Paris. A total of 180 countries were ranked based on the following indicators: pluralism, media independence, environment and selfcensorship, legislative framework, transparency, infrastructure and abuses. These countries obtained scores ranging from 0 to 100, with 0 being the best possible score and 100 the worst.

Manama: Around 1,100 Lebanese and Syrian citizens living in Kuwait will be asked to leave the country over their links to Lebanese militia Hezbollah, a Kuwaiti daily said.

The expatriates have direct support and organisational links with the group classified as terrorist this month by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Arab League, and condemned by the Arab interior ministers in the Tunisia Declaration.

Some of the men on the black lists have already been informed they had only one month to finalise their arrangements and leave Kuwait, Al Qabas reported on Friday.

KUWAIT: The total number of candidates applying to run for by-elections in the third electoral constituency reached 39 and then dropped to 38 (including one female candidate) when one of them withdrew by the end of working hours on the seventh day.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah today opens the new term of the National Assembly which is expected to start with a discussion of a grilling against the Social Affairs and Labor Minister over alleged irregularities. The Amir will address the lawmakers about the local, regional and international situation. The address will be followed by the government statement to be delivered by the Prime Minister in which he will outline the government projects over the next year.

Minister of Electricity and Water and Public Works Ahmad Al-Jassar submitted his resignation yesterday and did not attend the regular meeting of the Cabinet as a result. Jassar tendered his resignation after the lower court on Monday sentenced him and 14 former and current officials from the ministry of electricity and water to a two-year jail term and dismissal from service, with an option to pay KD 1,000 to suspend the imprisonment. They were also fined KD 20,000 each.

Thousands of anti-government protesters have rallied in Kuwait, demanding an end to alleged multi-million dollar corrupt transactions which they say involve government officials.

The protesters came out in response to a call made by veteran opposition leader Musallam al-Barrack, who vowed to reveal the names of officials he accused of complicity in bribery.

Kuwait will hold parliamentary by-elections on June 26 to replace five lawmakers who quit over a row about questioning the Gulf state's prime minister in parliament, a senior government official said late on Sunday.

Some Kuwaiti media have said the resignations of the five in April and May could lead to the dissolution of the 50-member assembly. By setting a date for by-elections, the government is signaling it wants to push ahead with the current parliament.

Two more Kuwaiti legislators have resigned in protest at the parliament's refusal to question the prime minister on corruption allegations, bringing to five the number of MPs who have quit over the issue.

Ali al-Rashed, a former parliamentary speaker, and Safa al-Hashem, the only female MP in the 50-member house, said on Sunday that they had resigned because the situation in the Gulf state had reached a "deadlock."

First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said Kuwait did not wish to see presidential elections in Syria, while President Bashar Al-Assad's candidacy would undermine political endeavors for transition.
"We don't wish to see presidential elections in Syria in June next," Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled told a session of the Arab Media Forum.